Package conveying, closing, and sealing machine



' June 10,1930. J. R. WYSONG PACKAGE CONVEYING, CLOSING, AND SEALINGMACHINE Filed June l5, 1928 4 SheetsSheet LiW i amen-tow Jamesli', Mysang June 10, 1930. J. R.. WYSONG 1,763,493

PACKAGE CONVEYING, CLOSING, AND SEALING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuento'c JamesRWysong mum June .10, 1930. J, WYSQNG1,763,493

PACKAGE CONVEYING, CLOSING, AND SEALING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1928 4Shee' tS-Sheet a k: vuentoo v JdmesR y san g J ne 10, 1930.

J. R. WY SONG PACKAGE CONVEYING, CLOSING; AND SEALING MACHINE Filed June15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet gnaw W01 JamesRWysong abbo amq Patented June 10,1930 STATES lift l T E JAMES R. VJYSONG, F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORTo LAR'US & BROTHER COMPANY, OF RFIGHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORI'ORATION OFVIRGINIA PACKAGE CONVEYENG, CLOSING, AND SEALING MACHINE Applicationfiled June 15,

'My invention relates to a machine for conveying a paper or carboardcarton or the like, having means for applying an adhesive to the ends ofthe same, and for closing the carton and passing it along with theclosed ends held under tension in their closed position for a.predetermined length of time, and for reccnveying the sealed cartons inclose proximity to the place from whence they were originally conveyed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified and improvedconstruction of this character which will accurately and satisfactorilyperform the function for which it is designed, all as will be moreparticularly hereinafter set out and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of my invention,

Figure 2, a side elevation,

Figure 3, a top plan view,

Figure 4, is a section on line 44: of Figure 3, a

Figure 5, a section'on line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6, ure 3,

Figure 7, a fragmentary side elevation of the discharge end of themachine, and

Fig. 8, a top plan view of such discharge end.

In the drawings reference character indicates supporting legs uponwhichis mounted an upper runway or trough 11 for a conveyor belt 12,said runway comprising side bars or members 13 and. 14, and bottommember 11. The conveyor belt 12 is formed of flexible fabric and isprovided on its upper surface with transverse cleats or crossmemhers 12formed of leather or other desired material adapted to engage papercartons or boxes (J placed thereon by hand, for carrying them throughthe machine. The paper cartons or boxes are open at each end and havefour flaps, can, 0 and (i, one at each side, one pair of opposed. flaps,c and 03 folding inside, and the other pair of opposed a section on line66' of F ig- 19%. Serial No. 285,729.

flaps, a and b disposed at right angles being adapted to be suppliedwith paste or adhesive material, and to be folded over the other flaps cand d and pressed against the ends of the carton for properly sealingthe same and rendering the carton substantially air tight. The carton isplaced upon the conveyor with the inner flaps 0 and (Z folded in anddisposed in vertical posit-ion, while the outer flaps a and b orextensions of the upper and lower horizontal surfaces, are disposed inany position between the vertical and the horizontal.

Means is provided for folding down or opening the flaps which form theextensions of the lower horizontal surface in order that they may whenin horizontal position receive adhesive material from a pair of primarymucilage troughs, and such means comprises a nose or projection 16 whichtapers at 17 from its outer to its inner side and presents a thin pointor blade which projects slightly over the conveyor belt in the runway ina position to engage behind the bottom flap of the carton. The nose 16is provided with a tail piece 18, which extends downwardly andrearwardly into close proximity to the upper surface of the side bar 13in order to bend and guide the flap 6; downwardly into horizontalposition, such tail piece being curved at its forward edge as shown at19, so that it will operate gradually upon the flap and preventmultilating the same. The nose 16 is. supported by means of a curvedsupporting strap 20, which has its outer end secured to a base member 21adjustably mounted upon the outwardly extending horizontal flange 22 ofa bracket havinga depending flange 23 se cured to the exterior of theside bar.

A pair of similar brackets 24 are mounted in the same relative positionsas the brackets just described, in slightly spaced relation in advanceof the same, and upon each is adjustably supported a mucilage trough 25which is spaced slightly above the upper surface of the side bar and isprovided with a mucilage roller 26 having peripheral contact with asecond mucilage roller 27 adapted to engage the inner side of the bottomflap a of the carton and apply mucilage thereto.

lUU

The mucilagetrough is supplied from a cylindrical reservoir 28 mountedupon an upstanding arm or bracket 29 fixed to the side bar, saidcylindrical reservoir having an opening (not shown) in its top throughwhich the mucilage may be supplied and having a control valve 30 in itsbottom connected by means of a rubber tube'31 to a funnel 32 whichcommunicates with the mucilage trough. The 'mucilage trough is alsoprovided with a drainageor discharge pipe 33. The roller in the mucilagetroughis mounted upon a shaft 34, and said shaft is provided with a pairof gears 35 and 36, the outer gear 35 serving to drive the shaft from agear 37 mounted on a shaft-38;which extends across the machineand issupported by the brackets 29, the inner gear 36 serving to driver a gear39 mounted upon a shaft 40 Which supports the mucilage applying roller27. The shaft 38, upon which the gears at eachside of the machine aremounted, serves to drive the mucilage supplying rollers simultaneouslyand such shaft is drivenby means of a sprocket 41 adjustably mounted onthe shaft adjacent one end of the same, from the sprocket chain 42.7 V

The bracket 29 atthe side of thema'chine at which the sprocket chain 42is mounted-is provided-With a brace 43 Whichserves" to I -maintain thesame in fixed relation against the pull of thesprocketchain. In order tomaintain the sprocket chain'under proper tension anidler'44 'isadjustably mounted on said brace 43.

A'carton placed upon the conveyor at the.

right, Figures 2 and '3, Will be carried through the above describedpart of the machine, and have its lower flaps a properly moistened withmucilage. The tapering nose 17 slips in behind the flap and as thecarton" is moved along, such nose folds the flap downward sothat it willtravel beneath the tail piece 16and the mucilage roller. Means V is nextprovided for closing the bottom flaps a, foropening the top flaps b, andfor apply ing mucilage thereto, and for closing such top flaps. i

In advance of the 'mechanism described for applying mucilage to thelower flaps are disposed a pair of closing straps 45 mounted" in opposedrelation, one at each side of the machine ontop of the side bar. :Each'closing strap comprises a supporting foot fixed toits respective sidebar and a portion inclined at an angle of substantially 45 degrees, andwith a horizontal upperfportion or extremity disposed in parallelrelation to its foot, the

inner edge 46 of the inclined portion being.

tapered from said foot inwardly over the conveyor to its upperhorizontal portion to efl'ect a gradual closing of the lower flap, suchlower flap being carried with itsforward edge extending outwardly inposition to engage the inclined portion of the strap and be graduallyturned up into closed position by the tapered inner edge. At the sametime the upper flap ,will engage the inclined portion of closing strap45 and be elevated to horizontal position and will pass between the freeupper ends of the closing straps and the spaced guides 47. Beneath thehorizontal portions of the closing straps are mounted an additional orsecondary pair of mucilage troughs 48 adapted to supply mucilage to theupper roller 51 fixed upon a shaft 52. 'The roller 51 has a peripheralflange or bead at each side which flanges form a groove therebetween,and by means of which sufiicient pressure is exerted upon the flap tocause the application of the mucilage, but when the flap is not betweenthe rollers 50 and 51 the narrow roller 50 will not engage the roller'51 and apply mucil'age thereto. The shaft 52 is supported in bearings53 adjustably fastened by means of bolts 54 upon brackets 55,'said boltsextending through vertical slots 56 in said brackets; The last mentionedshaft 52 is provided with a pulley 57, which is driven by means of abelt58 from a source of power (not shown). The shaft 52 is PI'OVldGd with agear 59 adjacent each end, which engages a gear 60 on the shaft 49' fordriving the mucilage roller 50. The shaft 52 is also j provided with asprocket 61 about which thesprocket chain 42'extends for receiving power1 for driving the primary mechanism for sup plying mucilage to the lowerflaps. Each secondary'mucilage trough is supplied from a cylindricalreservoir 28through the control valve 30 and rubber tube 31, suchcylindrical reservoir being supported upon an arm 28 mounted upon thebracket 55. It'will be understood from the foregoing that the upperflaps I) having just been supplied with mucilage on their inner surfacesare-ready to be closed down over the lower flaps a to complete theclosing of the carton. In order to perform this operation I provide apair of inclined closing straps (52 which are formed integrallywith, andthere sions of the horizontal upper portions of the closing straps. Eachclosing strap tapers downwardly from its horizontal upper portionsubstantially at an angle of 45 degrees to itssupporting foot disposedparallel to its upper portion, 1 in off-set relation 7 thereto, or in-asubstantially horizontal posi fore support the guides '47 which areexten 75 flap b at each end of the carton, each trough a iyrea iee tionfixed upon the side bar of the machine. The inner edge 63 of theinclined portion of the closing strap tapers from its upper enddownwardly and inwardly slightly over the aonveyor in order to ellect agradual closinc; of the flap. Additional means is pro vided for pressingthe upper flaps to insure a complete sealing, such means comprising aroller 64*. having a flange 65 at each end, which engages the end of thecarton. The roller 6-4; is mounted upon a shaft 66 supported in bearings67 mounted upon brackets 68, said brackets being secured in position bybelts or other fastening means which also secure the closing straps inposition. The roller shaft is provided with a sprocket 70 which isdriven by a sprocket chain 71 extending around a sprocket!- 2 on theshaft 52. An idler is mounted upon a bracket !3 for maintaining theproper tension on the chain. a

l have previously described mechanism for opening out respectively thelower and upper horizontal flaps at opposite ends 0;? a carton orcontainer and for applying adhesive to the inner surfaces ofsuch iiapsand for closing the flaps. In order to hold the flaps closed sui'licienttime to permit the ad hesive to dry or set, I provide pair of sideconveyors 7 1 which operate in timed relation with the horizontal.conveyor 12, and I provide means :toryieldingly maintaining the innerrun of the side conveyors ineugagement with the ends of the carton;Below the upper runway 11 is mounted a lower runway 75 in which operatesa return conveyor belt 76 for returning the sealed cartons in closeproximity to the point whence they started, the car-tons being depositedon the lower conveyor belt by a dumping mechanism hereinafter morepartciularly described. lhe side conveyors are mounted upon pulleys 77supported by vertical shafts 78 mounted in brackets 79 attached to thesides of the upper and lower runways, a smaller pulley 80 being employedfor maintaining the inner run of the side belts or conveyors in apredetermined position, said smaller pulleys being mounted upon verticalshafts 81 slightly spaced from the periphery of the pulleys 77 andhaving their upper ends held in proper spaeedrelation by a strap 82 andbraced against the pulling action of the belt by a pair of: brackets orbraces 83. Against the rear side of the inner run of each belt 74% isdis posed a backing plate 84 resiliently held in engagement with thebelt by means of springs 85 mounted upon horizontal studs 86 whichextend through transverse slots in upright brackets 87 a nut 88 beingprovided for varying the tension on the spring 85. The

brackets 87 are merely rods or bolts supported in upright orperpendicular position upon the side bars of the machine and havingapertures therethroug'h at right angles to their axes. With thisconstruction the inner surfaces of the belts will be caused to pressfirmly but resiliently against the ends of the cartons as they arecarried along.

The upper and lower conveyor belts 12 and 76 are mounted upon pulleys 89and 89, the upper belt 12 terminating at the discharge end oi the sideconveyors while the return conveyor projects slightly beyond said sideconveyors. l extend the side bars 13 and 14 slightly beyond the conveyor12 and between the extremities of the side bars 1 pivot a dumping board90, which is mounted upon a shaft 91 supper ed in bearings 92 on theunder side ofthe side bars. An arm 93 is fixed on the extremity of theshaft 91, and a spring 94 fastened to one of the side bars formaintaining the arm'in a position approximating the horizontal, with thedumping board forming a continuation of the horizontal upper conveyor.Said dumping board is normally held in horizontal position under theaction of the spring, but the spring is too weak to support the weightof the filled carton, and will permit the same to drop downwardly ontothe return conveyor while the dumping board will, under the action ofthe spring, be returned to its normal horizontal position. The dumpingboard is mounted eccentrically of its supporting shaft, and the shortend of the board which is not engaged by the packages engages a pair ofpads or cushions 95 mounted upon a cross bar 96 which is fastened to theside bars 13 and 14:. In discharging from the conveyor 12 the cartonwill be given a quarter turn and. when carried along by the belt 76 anddischarged for packing, it will be given another quarter turn so that itis the proper position for packing.

Power for operating the conveyors may be supplied from any desiredsource. 1 have shown a relatively large pulley 97 mounted on the shaft98 upon which the conveyor belt pulley 89 is mounted. The shaft 98 isprovided with a bevel gear 99 which drives an up right shaft 101 bymeans of a similar gear 100. The upright shaft 101 carries a similarbevel gear 102 on its lower extremity, which is engaged by bevel gear103 on a horizontal shaft 104 and which drives by means of bevel gears105 and 106 the pulley 89, and which drives by means of pulleys 107 and108 the vertical shaft upon which the pulley 7'? is mounted. The uprightpulley sha. driven in synchronism by any desi ed means, for example, across shaft 109 having bevel. gears on each end which mesh or cup, egears on the vertical pulley shaft 78.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in my device without departing from the spirit o l'- theinvention, and I, therefore. do not limit myself to What is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth inthe appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by LettersPatentJs: j

1. A device of the class described, co1n prising a conveyor adapted toreceive cartons to be closed anti sealed, a member pro-- jecting overthe side of the conveyor in a position to engage and open the lowerflap, a mucilage roller for applying adhesive to the inner surface ofthe flap, aninclined tapered strap for closing the lower flap and forguiding the upper flap to open position, a mucilage roller for applyingadhesive to the inner surface of the upper flap, a ce-0perating rollerhaving peripheral flanges at each side for engaging the flap and holdingit in engagement with the mucilage roller, an inclined tapered strap forclosing the upper flap, and means as the carton is carried along foryieldingly holding the flap closed to permit the adhesive to set,substantially asset'forth.

2. A device o-f the class described, comprising a conveyor adapted toreceive cartons to be closed and sealed, a member projecting over theside of the conveyor in aposition to engage and open the lower flap,mucilage roller for applying adhesive to the inner surface of the flap,an inclined tapered strap for 7 closing the lower flap and for guidingthe upper flap to open position, a mucilage roller for applying adhesiveto the inner surface of the upper flap,a co-operating roller 'havingperipheral flanges at each side for engaging the flap and holding it inengagement with the mucilage roller, and means for closing the upperflap as the carton is carried along, substantially as set forth.

3. A device ofthe class described comprising an upper and lowerrunway, aconveyor beltin each runway, side members for each of the runwaysextending above the conveyor belt, means projecting inwardly over thecon veyor belt at each side for bending open the lower flaps of a papercarton, a mucilage roller for supplying adhesive to the inner surface ofsaid fiapswwhile in their bent open position, an upwardlyinclined strapat each side of the conveyor, having its inner edge tapering inwardlyover the conveyor, for

closing the lower flaps and for opening and guiding the upper flaps, amucllage roller mounted adjacent each closing strap in a po- 'sition tobe engaged by an upper flap, a co operating roller in spaced relation tothe mucilage roller having peripheral flanges terminating in the planeof the peripheral surface of the mucilage roller whereby mucilage willbe prevented from getting on the co-operating roller when the flappasses from between therollers, a downwardly extending inwardly taperingstrap for closing the upper flap, and means at each side of the conveyoroperating 1n synchronisin therewlth as the carton is carried along foryieldingly hold ing the flaps closed to permit the adhesive to set,substantially as set forth.

4. A device of the class described comprising an upper and lower runway,a conveyor belt in each runway, side members for each of the runwaysextending above the conveyor belt, means projecting inwardly over theconveyor belt'at each side for bending open the lower flaps of a papercarton, a mucilage roller for supplying adhesive to the inner surface ofsaid'flaps while in their bent open position, an upwardly inclined strapat each side of the conveyor, having its inner edge tapering inwardlyover the conveyor, for closing the lower fiapsand for opening andguiding the upper flaps,fia mucilage roller mounted adjacent eachclosing strap in'a position to be engaged by an upper flap, acooperating roller in spaced relation to the mucilage roller havingperipheral flanges terminating in the plane of the peripheral surface ofthe mucilage roller whereby mucilage will be prevented from getting onthe cooperating roller when the flap passes from between the rollers,and means for closing the each closing strap in a position to be engagedby an upper flap, anda co-operating roller in spaced relation to themucilage roller having peripheral flanges terminating in the plane ofthe peripheral surface of the mucilage roller whereby mucilage will beprevented from getting on the cooperating roller when the flap passesfrom between the rollers, substantially as set forth.

6 A machine for conveying cardboard cartons and for closing and sealingthe ends of said cartons, comprising a runway having a horizontalbottom, side members extending above the bottom, a conveyor belt in saidrunway, cleats on said belt for engaging and'pro pelling the cartons,primary mucilage applying mechanism for moistening lower flaps of thecartons comprising a mucilage trough mounted at the side of the conveyorand a mucilage roller spaced slightly above the side member andadaptedto be supplied with mucilage from the trough, a bracket at theside of the conveyor, a lower flap engaging projection adjustablycarriedby the bracket and extending over the conveyor belt in a position toengage the inside of the lower flap of the carton and guide the same toopen position and downwardly beneath the mucilage roller, secondarymuoilage applying mechanism for moistening the upper flaps of thecartons comprising a mucilage trough mounted at the side of theconveyor, a mucilage applying roller in the mucilage trough, means forguiding the upper flaps of the cartons to open position and over themucilage roller, said means also serving to close the lower flaps and aroller disposed above the mucilage roller and having a peripheral flangeat each side disposed in the plane of the peripheral surface of themucilage roller, for pressing said flaps against the muoilage r0'1ler,substantially as set forth.

7. In a carton sealing machine, a conveyor for the cartons, means foropening the lower flap, means for applying adhesive to the inner surfaceof the lower flap, an inclined tapered member for closing the lower flapand for moving the upper flap to adhesive receiving position,substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Richmond, Virginia,this 1st day of June, A. D. nineteen hundred and twentyeight.

JAMES R. WYSONG.

